2nd Summer Block Party

Well, I finally am able to post the results of our charity quilting event of 2010, the 2nd Summer Block Party. We had 13 ladies there (with a few others in spirit), and, nicely enough, we had four new ladies who read about us in the newspaper article that I wrote in the Hartford Courant .
Everyone seemed to have a great time and ,boy, did we get a lot done!!!
This year the neighborhood consisted of a few new things and some businesses, alas, had to close down.
The Founding Father's House was still cutting a 'foundation block' of sorts... just that we used it for the backing of our QAYG blocks (all done in beiges and greens-- the backs, that is).
We decided to 'outsource' the equipment at the Sew-er Dept, because of the 'fuel cost' it had with the Delivery Service. These (sewing) machines went to the following businesses...

The Bank of Beijing where we made Chinese coin strips (lots were made, which means we will have a great project in the future to put together). Some really good research was done by Janet G regarding the colors of ancient Chinese coins (soft greens, mauves, grays, sandstone, and others), so those colors all seemed together nicely. We even had a 'cash drawer' where they were placed when cut into 6 strip segments (we called it 'making change' and 'cutting the deficit'). We even had 'armed guards' to pick up and deliver the strips that were cut at the Strip Club. (Don't worry, it was a squirt gun on loan from Janet G).
The US Postal Service where we took envelope blocks that we had made as a 'homework assignment' a few years ago and 'sorted the mail'. Some blocks had to have the envelope flap sewn to them (lick and seal the envelope, so to speak). These got to a stage of being pinned together in rows/columns and will be worked on in future months.
The Better Batting Mattress Co. was new this year... it recylced old 'bedding' (batting) to make the QAYG blocks, using a consistant center strip and multi strips for Heartstring blocks.


The Italian Restaurant seemed in very good standing again, this year, and I think if all the lasagna strips get worked on before our next meeting, we should have enough to make 4 lasagna quilts, total!! (Last time we had enough to make two). We almost got one completed at the party, but Marilyn had agreed to finish the top at home-(thanks Marilyn!).
The Landscaping Co didn't get much business this year for some reason, and that came from the BBMC.
It was SUCH a hot day (this was the hottest July on record!!), that the Foundry (where the iron workers were) was only half-staffed (one iron). That actually worked fine.
The Designer's house was busy from the start with two children's quilts (yellow centered heartstring blocks, made by Margaret M). They got put together to the top stage, but they will need a few borders to make them bigger!
There was only a few incidents that needed to be attended by the EMTs at the Emergencey Medical Center...
The Strip club was VERY busy, in fact, so busy that they even cut the material at the bottom of the pile (for the lasagna quilts) that I forgot to put aside for the borders!--OOps! They were faster cutting than I was saving! LOL
We also had a new business open up, called the Hog-Tied Deli. We got to sandwich things together (backing, batting and quilt tops) that had been in the 'frig' for a while. We got 3 quilts tied and opportunities to tie a few more at upcoming mtgs. We really need to go get more "sandwich fillings" and we are now able to with the help of our church's outreach committee's donation.
The Bordello and the Massage Parlour are necessary but sometimes barely acknowledged. This year was no different.
I did have a survey, so I hope those who took them home, will fill them out and return them to me. It only makes for a better party the next time around.
Hope to load photos soon....

Reactions to quilts...

I just got a phone call today from a member who 's been active in our church for almost 40 yrs. During our church service where our Priest Blessed our recent QOV quilt, I hung up the quilt like I always do on the front railing. I think people like to look at them as they walk by for communion. This woman said she was so moved after the service by this quilt that she actually cried when she looked at it. Two other women were doing the same as they admired it after the service, also. It still needed to be hand-sewn on the binding (my mom's gonna do that), but I knew it may not be available for a blessing by the following week. (I hope to connect with the soldier it's going to (he was wounded by an IED in Iraq), as he came home in May. (The photo is under the previous post)

This makes what we do seem very important to the parishioners and keeps up going. Yea, ladies!!

June mtg- Last mtg of school year

We had a few people able to make the mtg this month, but we seemed to get LOTS done!
A few of us worked on tying the "Sunshine and Space" premmie quilt, then I was able to sew the binding on and send it home with my mom to hand-stitch and finish (I got it on the 13th and had it blessed in church).

A few others also got a chance to tie the QOV quilt, up to the outer borders and I'm not sure whether I'll machine sew  (SITD) near the borders then add the binding (I have a choice of two different ones to use). I took it home and trimmed it, so far.

MaryEllen took the Black/pink/poodle blocks home to square up and put together. We'll add a border at the Summer Block party (at the 'bordello'). I can't wait to see it.

It's so nice to have everyone take part in the whole process for each of these quilts. I can't thank you ladies enough for all the work you put into it.

Spring vacation Project in Maine

We got a few things organized at the last mtg, so that I would be able to get supplies in Maine (my vacation spot) to finish a few quilts we've had requested. Enid's Yellow/Blue HS quilt top came to the meeting without borders. It was taken home by Enid with fabrics from Anna's stash (Dark sky blue) and Marilyn's excesses she had given me (beautiful yellow), to add the borders, then to hopefully get it to me (had two wks to finish the borders) before I went to Maine. She did good! I got it the two nights before I left and took a few others needing 'something'.

Since I brought my sewing machine up to Maine with me, I figured I'd at least get the backing done (pieced) on these few quilts. This was the view (and the weather was liek this for 12 out of 14 days!! Who could beat that??)

I found the perfect backing for the Yellow/blue HS top. It had a deep blue sky with clouds and some man-in-the-moons on the fabric, which went perfectly with the planets on the front. I'm calling this one "Sunshine and Space". It's for a premmie who was born in Dec 2009, 3 months early. He's about 10 lbs now, so making it normal baby quilt size worked out fine. I didn't have the top with me to match the colors, so I'm thrilled that I had enough (split it diagonally and 'streched it') to use for the backing. This photo is showing it split, just not extended yet.

I even got the binding done for this one and enough for another one (great blue/white stripe).

I felt the need to extend the top of this QOV quilt, because the panel that we were using on the back would have gotten cut off, if I didn't. This panel, I split in half up the middle and inserted a red strip (wide), added the label and figured it could trim it if needed. It should be perfect.

Mavie Q, a Heartstrings member (from Maine), made us 'some blocks' as a thank you for her friend's quilt (friend was very sick and needed one NOW- thankfully, we had one to send). I picked them up in Maine (at her house) and decided on this pattern of putting the blues together. I did get them together, even though I'm posting this design-in-progress photo. Thanks SO MUCH Mavie for the 48 thank you's....!!!

I did finish splitting and combining the pink/black /poodle squares (finished ones are the top left pile). I'll bring them to the next mtg.

The surprise I'm getting soon is that Cricket, another Heartstring member, took one of my first quilts ever, and added the borders around this to finish this quit for our group. What a great gift!! Thanks Cricket! Can't wait to see it in person.

Organization Station

This wasn't in my plan, but it was necessasary. I wish I had taken a picture of the before because it is amazing at the difference, but the ladies in charge of taking hold of the reins were already there, when I arrived for something else.
I had planned on meeting another woman (Deacon Karen) to help with a project that she thought we could help with (fabric wise)- we couldn't, and I fell upon all these 'workers' hauling things out of various closets in our church's conference room and trying to sort them. We have one of the closets (and I didn't think about it until that day, that WE have one of the narrowest doors for storage) and my husband's group, Parish Life (the fun stuff)  had the one next to us. I'm thankful that I was there, because they were dealing with 5 other groups and they weren't involved with them, so had to presume which certain items belonged to each group. I KNEW what was in our closet and my DH group, so I went about organizing our stuff.
It really felt good to do this and it gave me a chance to donate some of the stuff we have been given/donated that we wouldn't probably use to another quilter who makes quilts for the homeless in her area. I'm sure she will use it well.

I spent 7 hrs there (well, okay.... I DID go out and bring back lunch!). The only things I didn't sort through was the fabrics we have for backings. I'll do that probably today. Ok..... they're done!(See above)